Use Magnifier to see items on the screen

Applies to Windows 8.1, Windows RT 8.1

Magnifier is a useful tool that enlarges part—or all—of your screen so you can see the words and images better. It comes with a few different settings, so you can use it the way that suits you best.

Using Magnifier

You can open and close Magnifier quickly so it's handy when you need it and it's out of your way when you don't.

To open Magnifier using a keyboard

Press Windows logo key‌ + "+" (plus sign).

Magnifier will open in Full-screen view unless you change the settings.

To open Magnifier using touch or a mouse

Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap Settings, and then tap Change PC settings.(If you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, click Settings, and then click Change PC settings.)

Tap or click Ease of Access, tap or click Magnifier, and then move the slider under Magnifier to turn it on.

Magnifier will open in Full-screen view unless you change the settings.

To close Magnifier

To exit Magnifier quickly, press the Windows logo key + Esc. You can also tap or click the magnifying glass icon , and then tap or click the Close button on the Magnifier toolbar.

Notes

If you want to have Magnifier always at your fingertips, you can pin it to the Start screen or taskbar. For more info, see How to use the taskbar.

Some people want to change the clarity or size of the words and images on the screen. If this is what you want to do, you can use the app to zoom in on a page or change your screen resolution. For more info about changing your screen resolution, see Get the best display on your monitor.

Changing Magnifier views

If you're using a mouse, you can use Magnifier in a few ways, depending on how you like to work: full-screen, lens, and docked. Try them all to find out which one you prefer.

Full-screen. In this view, your entire screen is magnified. You probably won’t be able to see the whole screen at the same time when it’s magnified, but as you move around the screen, you can see everything. If you have a touchscreen, Magnifier will display white borders around the edge of your screen. Drag your finger or mouse along the borders to move around the screen.

Lens. In this view, when you move around the screen, it’s like moving a magnifying glass around.

Docked. Docked view works on the Windows desktop. In this view, a magnifier is docked to a portion of your screen. As you move around the screen, parts of the screen appear magnified in the docking area, even though the main part of the screen is unchanged.

Customizing Magnifier

You can change the way Magnifier works. For example, you can use the zoom buttons ( and ) to change how much Magnifier enlarges your screen. Pressing Windows+ Plus and Windows+ Minus on your keyboard is another quick way to zoom in and out. You can also open the Magnifier options button to change Magnifier.

Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Search.(If you're using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer up, and then click Search.)

Enter Magnifier in the search box, and then tap or click Magnifier.

Go to the Windows Desktop and click the Magnifying glass .

Click the Options button .

Do one or more of the following:

Use the slider to choose a zoom increment. The percentage you choose here will be the increment by which Magnifier enlarges the screen when you press the zoom in button .

Select a check box to choose how Magnifier focuses. Magnifier can follow your mouse, the insertion point, or the keyboard.

Note

When you open Magnifier, the Magnifier toolbar appears briefly. It quickly gets out of your way, but you can display it again by clicking the magnifying glass icon on your screen or the Magnifier icon on the taskbar.

Using Magnifier with touch

You can use Magnifier with a touchscreen to perform a variety of tasks:

Zoom in and out by tapping on the corners.

Move around the screen by dragging along the borders.

Exit Magnifier by tapping the "X."

See where you are on the screen by tapping with two fingers on opposite borders.